A specialist rehabilitation service for people recovering from mental health problems has been given national recognition.
Mott House, based at St Bernard’s Hospital in Ealing, has been rated as excellent by the national AIMS accreditation programme.
The accreditation for inpatient mental health services programme was set up by the Royal College of Psychiatry to improve the quality of care in inpatient mental health wards.
Natoya, who receives care at Mott House, said: “Congratulations to the staff of Mott House, they are very caring and really deserve this recognition. I enjoy all of the activities on offer to us on the ward, in particular the film group, of which I am a part.”
External reviewers assessed the service, which is run by West London Mental Health NHS Trust, against a number of standards; covering policies, protocols and staffing, admission, safety, the environment and facilities and the therapies and activities available.
Their findings included: high morale and excellent team working among staff; a warm, friendly and inviting environment with open, comfortable and clean spaces; a motivated and enthusiastic coordinator with access to good resources; good evidence of positive risk taking and a code of conduct developed with patients.
The accreditation is carried out by experts in the field, who speak to staff, patients and carers to gain a comprehensive view of the standards of care provided.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Michael Maier, who has run the service since 2003, said: “This acknowledgement is a recognition of the expertise of the multidisciplinary team that has worked together for many years allowing patients to reach their full potential. We are proud of the work we do and that this has been recognised through this rigorous external assessment”.
Michael Dayer, the ward manager, said: “We are delighted with the findings and positive comments of the assessment team. They also made some helpful suggestions for improvements, such as providing internet access for patients and decorating the men’s bathrooms, and we are looking at ways to incorporate them."
